Legends Fables and Myths
by williamlim3
Summary: Kenshi, A young man with a hunger for knowledge goes to look for a man who seems to have lived through all the incredible events that have taken place across Valoran. Imagine his surprise when that person is a large bartender by the name of Gragas. Gragas grudgingly agrees to share information of a group of "Legends" that lived during his time.
1. Prologue

Legends, Fables, and Myths

A young man stepped off the boat, pulling his cloak tighter against his body. His long breaths releasing small clouds of mist that hovered in the air. He shivered quietly, his slight frame not used to the great cold of the Freljord. He had travelled a great distance, from his small town in Ionia to Bilgewater, to Noxus, and finally to the great north of the Freljord. While he had met no trouble on his way, the journey remained long, and ardous. He was ready to reach his destination. The village up ahead was filled with lights, and he could see the silhouettes of people milling about from place to place. He'd find directions there.

"Well then, who's this here?" The bartender roared. His thick red hair cascaded over his body, and they would have been the most interesting thing about him had it not been for his body. Thick joules of fat rippled over each other on his stomach, and he seemed to occupy the entire bar table by himself. His arms were enormous, packed full of a dense combination of muscle, and an obscene amount of fat. His face was wrinkled, but scarred with various old cuts and bruises, probably from bar fights. His calloused fingers looked like tree trunks, and had it not been for the bartender's next sentence, the young man would have run off in fright.

"Don't you worry chum, I'm just wondering who ye are is all." The large man laughed, and it seemed the entire bar would rumble in unison with his voice. The bar was full of people maintaining conversation, smiles on their faces, and they looked at the young man without an inch of fear or hate in their hearts.

The young man relaxed. "I'm sorry, I'm just visiting. I figured a bar would give me directions to a place I need to get to. Seems that most people in the village are here."

The bartender grinned. "Well where else do you get a good drink around here? My ale is perfect, borne from ice in the Freljord. I found it myself actually, when I came around here a long time ago. Trust me, you won't regret it."

The young man hesitated for a second, before relenting.

"Sure, what harm could a drink do."

"Now we're talking!" The bartender gave a large smile, before attempting to turn behind the bar to grab a mug. His enormous frame caused him to get stuck, but after several large wrenches and pulls of his belly fat, he finally made it to the other side. He grabbed the mug, filled it, and cursed as he realized he had to make his way back around again.

"Gained more weight in me old age." He smiled as he put the mug of frothing ale in front of the young man. "Now, what's your name young man."

"Kenshi." The young man replied, in between sips of the ale. The icy amber liquid flowed down his throat, cooling his body and filling it up. Instantly, he felt more lively, and smiled unconsciously. It was indeed perfect.

"Nice to meet you Kenshi, the name is Gragas." Gragas smiled, and eventually filled a drink of his own. However, the size of Gragas's mug was nearly 3 times that of Kenshi. "People around here used to call me the rabble rouser, but past couple years I've settled down. Old age catches up to all of us y'know." He raised a glass, and the bar patrons raised in approval.

It was only then Kenshi realized that everyone was listening to his conversation. He looked around and heard silence. Everyone was quietly watching him. Not with any ill will, but curiosity.

"Don't pay them no mind Kenshi. I mean, we've had our fair share of interesting people showing up around here. We got yordles, murderers, and monks coming here. I've met a lot of em, shared drinks with them. Normalcy is quite rare in my bar. But that was a while ago. Most of the guys are dead, or old. My bar's gotten a lot quieter now, and I know everyone's face in the village, and everyone knows everyone. So, we're all a bit interested when on a quiet night light this, a new face shows up, especially one as young as you. Yer parents fine with you being here lad?"

"They sent me here actually. To find someone." Kenshi's mood turned somber, and his gaze turned from the crowd back to Gragas.

"I see. The man family? A friend?" Gragas asked.

"Not exactly. My parents told me that he was a... record keeper of sorts. That he'd lived a long time, and knew everything of what happened since they were born. All the wars, and the changes that have happened in their life, he chronicled all of it, and he knew what happened to everyone." Kenshi looked beyond Gragas, remembering his parent's words, before Gragas, who was holding back a huge smile on his face, suddenly interrupted him.

Gragas let loose a rumbling laugh; one that felt like it would shake Kenshi's bones apart. When he finally finished, he looked back to Kenshi, who looked completely and utterly confused.

"Your parents must know me then, because they're talking about me." Kenshi's eyes widened. He probably expected a wizened old man, or a bookish one, surrounded by books. He didn't expect this fabled history-keeper to be this huge fat man in a bar.

"Probably met me at this bar in fact. I must have told them a story or two, but I don't keep records, I got them all here." He pointed a stubby finger at the top of his head. "I've seen a lot lad. Heard a lot of stories, lived a lot of them too. Lost a lot of friends, gained a lot of friends. But I remember everyone, so I'd probably remember your parents. Care to tell me who they are?"

" My fathers name is Yasuo, my mothers is riven." Kenshi replied, to yet another rumble of laughter.

" Ahh… Those two lovebirds finally decided to have children. Yes, I know them. I was there when it all started actually, to when they got married. I was in Ionia at the time, selling this ale at some old tavern. They had quite the fiery romance."

Kenshi smiled. "My mother has quite the temper."

"You're right there." Gragas smiled. "So why did they ask you to come find me?"

"When I was young, I was constantly interested in the history of our land. Of Valoran. There were a lot of incredible events that happened in the time of my parents. They won't tell me, they say that it isn't their story to tell. As I grew older, I began to think about leaving home, to understand more about the history of this place, and what happened when they were alive. If I'm not wrong, Demacia and Noxus used to be at war right?"

Gragas nodded. "Indeed. Until King Jarvan IV signed a peace treaty. That was quite an interesting time. I was there too. I find that I'm always serving drinks in the background when these things occur."

"The desert city, Shurima also used to be just… a desert right?"

Gragas shook his head. "You know your information kid. The current emperor, Azir raised it from the ground. His descendant, Sivir travels around as an emissary as well. In fact I think she'll come here in a couple weeks. The resurrection of Shurima didn't go too smoothly either, now that I recall."

Kenshi began to speak faster, his voice rising. "See, that's what I mean! There are so many stories, so many legends of incredible people doing incredible things. There are so many incredible tales untold, and I want to hear all of it! 50 years ago some things didn't exist, and they do now, and people don't even care! People just hear stories but nobody wants to know how it happened!

"Your dad says you talk too much doesn't he." Gragas smiled.

"Yes…" Kenshi stopped, and bushed, realizing how he had suddenly exploded.

"It's all right kid, I understand. You want to know. No particular subject, no particular histories, but you just want to know about Valoran."

"Yes. In particular these people. I've done my own research, and kept my own lists when I left home, about a group of over a hundred beings. Some are human, some are mythical creatures, but all of them shaped the world we live in now in some way. Can you please, just tell me about them, if you know any of them, and what they did. Please."

Gragas looked to the bar, and back, before groaning. "All right. I'll do this as a favor to your mum and dad, only because they saved my life once. Before you go on talking about that, I'll get to that story later. I'm sure you have some immediate questions you want to ask."

Kenshi rifled through his cloak, before pulling a scroll of paper, which went so long it trailed from the table to the floor.

"It's going to be a long night."

(A/N: So I felt like doing this because, the amount of lore that nobody talks about is astounding. If you have any requests for any characters, I'll try getting to them, and please feel free to post them in reviews. I won't stop writing demons and wolves, but it's just a nice little side project I have.)


	2. 1 Legend of the Golden Demon

The Legend of the Golden Demon

"So kid," Gragas rumbled, his jowls rumbling as he spoke. "What's the first on Yer list." He picked up his tankard, and downed it, before frowning.

Kenshi consulted his scroll, his brows furrowed and he said. "The Golden Demon incident."

Gragas put his tankard down, and let out a large burp before he turned to face the young man.

"Oh. That."

"I know the beginnings, about how it was a stagehand named Jhin, but he escaped. I also know he's dead. But how did he die? How did it happen?"

Gragas grimaced. "You get to the dark stuff first eh kid? Yep, he's dead. Killed by the Eye of Twilight himself, though he wasn't alone… and it didn't come without a cost."

Shen knelt down, his hands grasping a small blade of grass as he curiously inspected it. He turned it around, looking for something discernible, or anything out of the ordinary. Satisfied, he stood up, before turning around. The woman was sat in her chair, right outside of her traditional Ionian residence. She held a look of peacefulness, and looked positively serene other than the bullet hole in her head. There was no blood, just bits of brain matter spattered across the ground. Shen had been scanning for the bullet, or any sign of the shooter.

Behind him, a dark shadow loomed over, shrouding Shen in darkness. He didn't turn around, nor did he react.

"Find anything?"

The shadow morphed into a blur, before it revealed itself as a dark, crimson ninja.

"Nothing around. Firearms. This does not bode well." Zed grumbled in frustration. "When the people find out that… he was doing these things, panic will set in."

"Yes, but there is something worse." Shen stood up, before closing the woman's eyes.

"What is it?" Zed asked, hesitatingly, almost scared to hear the answer.

"The monster… this murder remains too simple. A simple bullet will have been to easy for him, even if he fired it from far away. I can't find the bullet, and that means-"

Zed finished the sentence. "More than one was killed tonight. We need to move farther down."

Almost as if in response to their deductions, an ear-piercing scream was heard, further down into the village.

They rushed down as soon as they could, running into a young child at the foot of the village, eyes bloodshot, and shivering. The sight of two ninjas didn't do much to allay her fears. She screamed in fright, and her face turned white as snow. Her legs began to buckle, as she began to stumble on her feet. Shen quickly took off his mask, before hurrying to her.

"We mean no harm, little one." Shen said, in as gentle of a tone as possible.

She swayed on her feet, unsteady, before tottering to the floor, the last of her strength leaving her. Shen moved to catch her and gently laid her to rest. It was only then she finally spoke.

"I… Mother… Father… The house…" She said weakly, before she closed her eyes.

Zed finally moved, but Shen waved him away. "She is in shock, but will recover. I will watch over her. Inspect the house."

Zed nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. He looked to the other houses, all lit, with several men and women stepping out of their dwellings to see what the commotion was all about. There was one house, it's doors open, and Zed could see something at the stairs leading out of the house. Crimson.

The human body had the ability to house a great deal of blood, and a severed artery tended to spray a great deal of it out. Blood spatter painted the walls in a macabre painting, as Zed clenched his fists in rage. A young couple was on the floor, their bodies several feet apart, but their hands outstretched towards each other, as if to hold each other in a last loving embrace. Their necks were slit, though not by a knife. A bullet had deftly scraped their necks to pierce the arteries within, spraying blood spatter in a grotesque pattern throughout the room.

The Golden Demon had killed 3 in one shot.

Zed realized something was amiss, that this was not the usual procedure of the demon, and he looked around for a bullet trail, or a photo, anything that would tell him what he was looking for.

He found it in the spare bedroom. A boy was there, not even at his teenage years, lying face-up on the floor. He'd been drawing, the painting obscured by a splash of blood. In all of Zeds rage, he forgot the most crucial thing about Khada Jhin.

 _He worked in fours._

Kenshi shuddered, though not from the cold. Gragas was a terrifying storyteller. His large size and jolly voice did not detract from the chilling way he had described the murderer known as the Golden Demon. Gragas told the tone in a past tense, but he still made Kenshi look over his shoulder, scared that at any second a round might deliver him straight to the Kindred.

Gragas had stopped to take a drink when he noticed the fearful look in his listener's eye.

"You don't need to be to scared kid. This happened a long time ago. Besides, who'd come to the Freljord at a time like this?"

The plumpish bartender gave his best smile, and Kenshi couldn't help return one in return.

"Please continue, I'd like to hear more."

"Don't rush, lemme finish me drink."

Khada Jhin made his way through the bustling market, a straw hat pulled over his head, and a cane at his side to aid him. While he did not require one, the appearance of a frail cripple tended to shoo away prying eyes.

His past performance had been sublime, a divine showing of his artwork. The two ninjas would be impressed, dazzled by his beautiful voice. Yet the hunger lingered… to be better… to be _perfection_.

The people that had set him free never expected he would so quickly turn on his masters. Khada Jhin's beauty did not require direction. Their bodies would never be found.

He'd moved slowly north after he received his equipment, unable to resist the bustling trade routes between Ionia and Freljord. So many people, so many opportunities, so many places to paint his artwork.

The market… yes… this would be where the puppets would dance, dance on his strings, moving to their positions. Then, when the Ninjas would find their way here, they would find themselves captive audience to his performance.

He made his way to a place offering lodging, and made himself look as helpless as possible. He knocked… one… two… three… four times. It had to be four. It always has to be four.

"This carriage driver mentioned he'd ferried a man from the village… here." Shen mentioned, as they stopped in front of the market.

"So many people. This will not end well." Zed added. "If you'd allow me to bring my disciples here-"

"I bid them stay for the same reason you do not see Akali nor Kennen here. Your students would not hesitate to slay me. Kennen has duties to perform in Ionia, and Akali is young, not strong enough to understand the true ways of the world. She is also more deadly than you know. You would be cut down where you stood, before you even caught a whisper of her. She is the deadliest assassin you will never see. " Shen replied, a hint of pride in his voice.

Zed was quiet, before he replied." There are an unusual amount of merchants and traders here, even for this village. Something is happening."

"It is the blossom festival. Many tourists come to see the flowers blossoming in the trees." Shen explained, as a flower gently drifted down from the tall trees that loomed beside the market. He deftly caught it, and the whisper of a smile crossed his lips, before he kept the flower in a small pouch.

Zed saw Shens actions, and began to comment, but stopped. They had reached their destination. When in doubt, the best place to find information was the local tavern.

They opened the door, just in time to let a swordsman out. He possessed peculiar goggles, and his blade was ancient, but tempered and humming with power. A Wuju swordsman. After the Noxian invasion, there weren't many left.

Inside the crowded tavern, a great deal many were bustling about, eating food, drinking, talking, and generally passing the time. Shen immediately headed towards the Bartender, a large, heavy-set man.

"Greetings. My name is Shen. I have several questions."

Zed simply leaned against the wall inspecting his shurikens and watching as the people in the tavern started, before slowly edging away from him.

Gragas smiled, and replied. "Fire away, but have a drink at least. And stop your friend from scaring my guests."

Shen turned, and Zed shrugged before walking towards the table.

"Some rice wine." Zed said, before he took off his mask.

If the masked ninja wasn't already scary enough, the man with a wicked scar across his left eye served to promptly terrify everyone else.

To his credit, Gragas wasn't the least bit fazed. He'd probably seen worse. "One glass of rice wine, sure."

As Gragas went to pour some into a crystal tumbler, Shen began to ask his questions.

"Do you know a place to stay here?"

Gragas put the glass down, and Zed nodded appreciatively before dropping several coins on the table. Gragas picked them up with his large fingers, before he answered.

"In fact, there's only one. Its just up the street, it's got a couple rooms for the men and women shacking up for the blossom festival."

"Thank you. And have you seen anyone new, or suspicious recently?"

Gragas furrowed his brow, as if in thought. "Hrm. There has been a lot of people coming and going lately, so it's been hard to keep track of people. There is one man though, but he's not really suspicious."

Zed caught Shen's eye, and put down his drink before asking. " What about him."

"He's a cripple. A bit confusing why someone who walks with such a severe limp would come here. I mean sure it's quite beautiful and all but, to see everything you have to climb the mountains. Also, he came alone. Not usually a lot of people come alone to see the blossom festival. You might catch him later, he normally comes around late evening."

"Is there a place where we can see the entire market and town?"

Dusk had fallen, and Zed and Shen had taken up positions watching the town. When the old man arrived, they would reveal his true self. They were both tense, and uneasy. Too many people had died as a result of the Golden Demon's actions. Night slowly began to fall, and people outside in the market had begun to light lanterns, illuminating the town in a dim orange light. All around, people were walking around, smiling, and enjoying their lives, unaware of the impending terror.

Suddenly, an explosion occurred, and the song of knives cutting flesh sounded through the town. People began screaming, as Shen and Zed quickly dropped from their perch atop a small hill, rushing towards the scream.

They arrived at a scene of utter carnage. Men and women around were vomiting, and fainting, some with wounds across their bodies, jagged and wicked cuts. At the epicenter of it all, a couple lay, pieces of their bodies strewn around the floor from the deadly knife trap that had dismembered their bodies completely.

The woman was in the center of it; her body cut open, her stomach torn and revealing her innards inside. The knives were on top of her, attached by springs and pressure, curled in the shape of a lotus blossom.

"Shen, He doesn't just kill two people. More people will run, and they will run straight into the traps." Zed warned. "We need to stop the panic."

Shen nodded, wordless, before he projected his voice, loud enough so that everyone in the town could hear. "Men and women, do not make sudden movements, please stay calm. Return to your homes as soon as possible, or find any building to enter. Do not stray away from the main roads." As soon as he finished, Shen began to move, slowly and carefully, using his stern voice to lead people to safety.

Zed immediately disappeared, most likely using his shadows to corral people to a safe area. If people wouldn't listen to Shen, Zed's shadows served to scare people into following him.

After several minutes, it seemed as though the men and women were safe. Then, the second trap exploded, and hollowness caught in Shen's chest. It was in the tavern, a small table upstairs. The explosion had killed half a dozen, knives burying themselves in chests, necks, a horrific sight. At the epicenter, this time a man, eyes wide open in fear, and disbelief that his life would end like this.

The rest of the people in the tavern were shocked silent. Some began to laugh maniacally, before sobbing. Some began to babble uncontrollably. All had seen the Golden Demons performance, and none would forget it.

Shen and Zed had corralled people into their houses, and anywhere indoors for safety. Jhin had known that, and planned for it.

Zed exited the tavern, and roared with rage, and fury. Shen exited, heaviness in his heart. As the wind whistled through the now deserted streets, he could almost hear the deranged laughter of a psychopath.

The Jyom pass linked the market to the central city of Ionia, Kashuri. It was the only way to get to the city from the outskirts of Ionia. It was used partly as a means of defense as well as a way to entice visitors from other places to come. The pass was a beautiful place, a selection of several large bridges over a large cliff, and beneath it, nothing but rushing water into the great sea. On one end was the great city of Kashuri, with towering beautiful buildings, and on the other end it was the large unending forests that Ionia was so famous for. Legend said that a beautiful woman lived in the forest, preying on unsuspecting men for their souls.

Shen and Zed knew that Jhin was coming here, tracking the "Old man in a straw hat", following his trail, and trying to get ahead of him while preventing his killing spree. By tracking his path, his final destination was clear. Kashuri. What he intended to do there, Shen and Zed were unwilling to find out.

The cliff gave brilliant views overlooking the Jyom pass, and Shen and Zed knew that. It was why they decided to ignore it. Too many times they had taken the best possible decision and they'd had it anticipated by Jhin. Now, they would simply wait on the road for a carriage to pass. Dressed as simple merchants biding their time, they waited. They were willing to wait forever, if necessary.

Forever turned out to be several hours. Zed and Shen remained at the same level of alertness, their training allowing them to remain idle for a great deal of time, but able to move at a moments notice. The carriage came over, its horses quietly clopping as they approached the pass. Shen and Zed looked into the carriage, waiting, expecting the same of what they had been seeing for the last hundred carriages that had passed them before until they saw the face of Khada Jhin. He met their eyes, and was in brief shock as both of them saw each other face to face for the first time since his imprisonment. Zed immediately dove into the carriage.

"Zed no!" Shen raised his hand, before channeling an ancient spell he had learnt, a pinnacle of his training.

Zed burst through the carriage door, twin blades on his arm ready to exact swift vengeance. He saw nothing but the twisting cogs of a lotus trap. He braced, ready for the end as the explosion sounded off, deafening and blinding him. As he opened his eyes, Shen was next to him, palms together and eyes squinted in intense concentration. Around him, there was a large magical barrier shimmered, purple and translucent. Shen collapsed to the ground, and the barrier dissipated.

Zed moved towards his rival, without any ill will, and knelt down. For a while, everything was forgotten. Zed forgot everything about Khada Jhin, forgot about his greed, his hatred to master Kusho, his rage at the murders. Zed knelt down to Shen.

"Brother. Please get up." Zed said, a hint of a plea in his voice. "Please."

He heard a laugh from far away, and looked to see Jhin, a horrific mask on his face, and a glowing pistol on his side. He'd already made it to the other side of the pass, a large bridge and a steep drop below.

"A shame. My performance will have to be only for you."

Zed rose, staring at Jhin, and replied. "You will pay." He had said it without emotion, as if it was a simple statement.

"Darling. You are only a puppet. It is only by the will of me, that you still dance." Jhin's grotesque face curled into a leer.

He fired four bullets at Zed, which he dodged easily due to the incredible distance.

Jhin knew this, and simply smiled. "When they find you, they will cry. Your arrogance has led to the death of your master, and now it will lead to the death of your brother. Soon, it will lead to the end of you."

Zed made to chase, but Jhin simply cut the ropes holding the bridge. For now, Jhin would be able to get away.

Zed turned back to Shen, who groaned. _Alive._ He hurried to him, and gently helped him up. Shen made to get up, but collapsed. He was out cold, and he wouldn't be awake very soon.

Zed stood up, eyes burning with resolve. He knew what he had to do.

Kashuri was beautiful at that time of the year, blossoms gently being buoyed by the wind as they flowed through the city streets. Zed found himself back in Kashuri, for the first time in years.

It'd been quite easy to enter Kashuri; the guards had simply let him in without any complaint. He found it quite strange, but he wasn't about to complain.

He had not entered the city since he was a teenager, under Master Kusho. He and Shen had explored the city together, talking animatedly as Master Kusho followed close behind. They had taken a day off from their intense training as Ninjas, and a visit to the capital city of Kashuri was a great way to see what they would grow up to protect. Kusho was proud of his students, though he would never show it. Now, back, Zed realized that not much of Kashuri had changed since he'd left. The places were newer, there were more people, but Kashuri still carried the same feeling.

Zed figured that he had to blend in, so he darted into a street corner, and came out dressed again as a merchant. Yet, he still didn't quite fit in. People were wearing strange red garb, clad in intricate masks and carrying swords. He thought that was just a theme of the place he had entered, until he realized that everyone was clad in armor, or beautiful crimson robes.

Zed sighed. Jhin had gone one step ahead again. He had entered Kashuri during the most important festival of the year. The Festival of Fire. It didn't matter much. He had come to Kashuri alone, but he would not stop Jhin alone. Coming to Kashuri had reminded him of something important, something that Jhin thought Zed would never do.

Jhin surveyed the area, looking for the performance. Akali and Kennen would be there, providing a quiet vigil over Kashuri. They would not be vigilant; the festival of fire was a time when everyone laid down their arms, to celebrate in the beauty of the blood moon. If Zed even dared to show up, he would watch as the Blood Moon performance truly lived up to its name. Without Shen, Zed only had his shadows. His pride would never allow him to ask Akali or Kennen for help, his pride, his lust for power was too strong, and it would ultimately destroy him. Jhin smiled. They would be beautiful. This would be _perfection._ Shen would still be unable to come, but Zed, Zed would be a good stand-in for his Master. He just had to wait for them to come all at the right time…

Shen limped out of the residence in the market, his body bruised and aching. He had woken up only minutes before, and he already knew where he had to go. Zed was in Kashuri, he had gone alone to stop Jhin. He burst open the bar door, to see Gragas dutifully cleaning a glass. The tavern was empty, but it was already cleaned. Gragas looked up in surprise, and was about to speak before Shen interrupted.

"I need the fastest way to Kashuri."

Akali had her blades pressed against Zed's throat, as Kennen held a shuriken in his furry hand, crackling with electricity.

"Give me one good reason. Please." Akali said, viciously as she raised her blade in preparation of a killing blow.

"Th-th-the Golden Demon is here." Zed murmured, before suddenly, he completely disappeared. He appeared behind them, before he took his wrist blades, and dropped them to the ground.

"And If I tried, you'd both be dead. I need your help." Zed said, as sincerely as he could.

Kennen lowered his arm, and the electricity faded. "These are no empty words. I sense an evil presence here."

Zed nodded, thankful for Kennens understanding. "Zed tells me that the both of you are part of the Triumvirate, which makes you the best Ninjas in Ionia."

Akali finally lowered her blades, and asked Zed. "You would be correct. But do not forget that you are a marked man."

Zed turned to Akali. "I care not for your petty threats. Shen and I have both been working together. You two already know this, yet you still remain distrustful."

Akalis' face turned to one of shock and concern. "Shen? Where is he? Is he all right?"

"He is recovering. Jhin attacked us at Jyom Pass. This is no time for talk. We need to plan."

Kennen spoke again. "What do you need us to do?"

Zed suddenly split into a wry grin. "Ninjas are great at hiding right? So hide. But make sure he can see you. This is my plan…"

It was nearly time. Jhin prepared his rifle, his scope aimed at the blood moon performance. Puppets, dancing on their strings. Oh, the excitement! The anticipation burned his lungs and his heart. He would make them dance, he would make them sing, and then he would make them beautiful. First, he would deal with the Kinkou, Akali and Kennen. He looked around, his scope peering for hiding spots. He found them, attempting to hide in plain sight, dressed in blood moon garb as well. It would not help them. They would be captive to his beautiful performance, his flourish, and his art. They were looking around the crowd, searching for anyone out of the ordinary.

But something was wrong. There were less people in the streets. No matter, the performance _had_ to go on. Zed would also be in the area, in the shadow, somewhere. It didn't matter. Jhin was hidden too well; he would never be found where he was. Hidden in plain sight, dressed as everyone else. He readied, staring at the performance. The two actors were dancing, weaving in and out in a mock battle. It was a simple matter to duck away, into a dark corner, ready to fire. Zed would believe he was in the crowd, as how he normally conducted his performances, but every act requires spontaneity. There was a spotlight shining on the actors, making sure that the actors were properly illuminated.

As he raised his rifle, out of the corner of his eye Akali seemed to nod. The people in the crowd suddenly disappeared, as if hit by a shroud. Akali smiled as she held one of the shroud of twilight bombs in her hands. Kennen turned into pure lightning and turned into a blinding white light that made Jhin blind. When he opened his eyes, every other person was gone.

 _No. Nononono._

"The Golden Demon, beaten by a trick so simple that he'd never imagine the Master of Shadows would attempt it." Someone mentioned, as Akali turned the spotlight on Jhin, blinding him again.

"Hiding in the light." From the spotlight, Zed shimmered into being, clad in pure white armor, save for his crimson mask. He had used the light to shroud himself. Jhin had been so committed to Zed's belief in the shadow; he never believed Zed would ever hide himself in the light.

Jhin began to run, as Zed, Akali and Kennen gave chase.

Shen had been running around the streets of Kashuri, looking for the performance grounds, before finding them empty, save for the Golden Demon running from Akali, Zed and Kennen. Shen immediately gave chase.

The chase led them through Kashuri, through buildings, homes and people, until it came to a deadly climax right back at the performance grounds.

Kennen turned into lightning, rocketing ahead of everyone, only to walk straight into a lotus trap. His speed allowed him to escape almost unscathed, but the trap cut into the yordles legs, cutting them and bringing the tempest to the end of his chase.

 _One._

Akali ran forward, headstrong and confident in her abilities, preparing to dash in front of Jhin. She didn't expect him to stop, and fire a deadly flourish from his rifle, straight at her chest. She braced for the end, but Shen dashed in front of her, his spirit blade drawn and pointed outwards.

"Stay here and take care of Kennen! We will handle him!" Shen yelled, before giving chase.

 _Two._

Jhin began to run at full speed, his dancers legs allowing him to almost float above the floor, but he was beginning to tire. The end was coming, but it would be _beautiful._

Shen ran level with Zed, as they gave chase, brothers once more. Zed made no reaction to Shen, as if he'd always expected to see Shen with him in the final chase, where they last were brothers. No doubt Jhin had planned for them to die here.

Jhin fired his third bullet, a magically powered one straight at Shen. Zed moved to block, but Shen had already drawn his sword to block the bullet. He was too late, and the bullet ricocheted into Shens thigh, knocking him to the floor.

 _Three._

Zed threw a shadow to the roof of a building, before appearing on it. He began to run across it, giving chase to Jhin from the roof. Jhin tossed a dancing grenade that Zed dodged with another shadow. Zed found his opportunity, and leapt from the roof, wrist-blade extended.

Shen watched as Zed jumped, and saw Jhin fire his final bullet.

"ZED!"

 _Four._

Shen held Zed's crimson mask in his hand, as Akali approached, holding a sheepishly contented Kennen in her arms.

The Golden Demon, Khada Jhin, lay dead in front of them. His throat slit, his blood oozing across the floor as he spread-eagled himself. In death, he looked like an ordinary human being.

Akali set Kennen down on the ground, as they both stared at Shen, as he knelt, holding Zed's mask in his hands.

"Father was always proud of you. Always. Be at peace, my brother." Shen said, as the Eye of Twilight wavered, and a single tear dropped to the floor.

In his grief, he never saw the shadow behind him move.

"So, Zed is alive?" Kenshi asked.

"Well, that's another story." Gragas smiled. " But that was the day the Golden Demon was finally put down for good. So, what are the other legends you want to hear, it's still early after all."

Kenshi grinned. "Well…"

(A/N : God I have no idea if this is good or bad. Someone please tell me. And if you have an idea for the next one, gimme a PM. For the guys coming from demons and wolves, don't worry, still working on that. It's just taking a bit longer cause I'm quite busy. This was just a simple doodle I wrote in camp.)


	3. 2 The Great Shuriman Expedition

The Great Shuriman Expedition

" Do you know the explorer Ezreal?" Kenshi asked, as Gragas passed several mugs to patrons that had just come in.

" That wee lad? Of course!" Gragas laughed, as he turned back to the young man, the patrons trotting off happily with flowing jugs of beer.

" He was very ambitious. Not in the bad way, ya see. He didn't want it for the greed; he just loved to explore, to see everything. He's a bit settled down now though, explores less now. But… when you're to be married to one of the most famous women in Demacia, it's kind of hard to go run off by yourself."

Kenshi twitched an eyebrow. "Luxanna Crownguard?"

"Ya got that right. It's happening soon, I got my invitation. People from all over Runeterra are coming over." Gragas burped loudly, drawing several grins from the patrons.

"So… how did he end up with her?" Kenshi asked.

"He met her on his way back from Shurima. Starstruck, he was. If I recall correctly, that was the expedition where Ezreal found his gauntlet. "

Kenshi's eyes brightened. " You know how he found his gauntlet?"

Gragas frowned. "Ah. Yes."

XXXXXXXXXX

" That guy at the bar was right. Sand does get everywhere." Ezreal grunted to himself, as he trudged through the desert, the sand rising to his knees as he stumbled slowly and agonizingly through the crippling desert.

" First person to explore the desert, first person to see the goddamn wonders of the Shuriman wasteland." Ezreal complained to himself, his cloak whipped around his neck, protecting him from the coarse sand that gusted and flew around the desert.

He'd decided to explore Shurima after a grand total of… three minutes of deliberation. He'd barely gotten back from his trip to Ionia when he heard two merchants talking about the terrors of Shurima, about monsters and gods that roamed the desert. He was convinced at ' terrors'. Three days of travel from Piltover, then to a small outskirt town on Shurima, where he gathered his supplies in a small satchel and set off.

Now, however, he was beginning to miss his small dwelling in the outskirts of Piltover, with his warm bed. He approached a large hill, sketching small notes on an unfinished map as he continued to make his way slowly up and up. For each step he took, he fell a half step backwards.

A cry pierced through the desert, blood-curdling in nature.

Ezreal shivered. "That… can't have been human." He moved onwards, a bit faster now. Perhaps the merchants weren't wrong about monsters after all. Over the hill, he saw it.

The Shuriman wastes were nothing like Ezreal had ever seen before. He had never seen wastes so expansive, so… beautiful. There was something pristine about the ruins, as if the sand itself mourned the loss of its city. Millennia ago, this was the apex of life, a shining beacon of transcendence and power. Now, there was nothing, as if the Creator himself had punished the great city for its arrogance.

All around the ruins there were large entrances, once black now brown and coarse with sand, leading deep below the surface. Ezreal got close to one, and looked around for any clues as to where these things led. He saw a strange marking next to a wall, and gently swiped the dust off as to see the marking clearer. It was a pictogram, depicting several men hoisting another atop them, the one above the others encased in a coffin of some sort.

For some, strange reason, the size of the coffin was a bit… out of scale. It was twice the size of the men, and atop the coffin there was a large talisman of some sort.

"So… it's a tomb. Well, I guess this'll make me a… tomb raider." Ezreal chuckled to himself as he began to head into the tomb. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

The tomb provided respite from the sandstorm outside, as Ezreal pulled the cloak and dropped it near the entrance. He shook himself like a dog, letting the sand collected on his clothes fall to the floor, crunching under each of his steps as he explored deeper. The scream sounded out again, louder this time, and Ezreal hurried down.

While the entrance had seemed spacious, the inside of the tomb was anything but. The narrow hallway Ezreal found himself in never seemed to end, leading him down a long winding path, markings adorning the walls beside him. They seemed to depict the life of the man in the coffin.

Ezreal was gently running his hand across the wall as he walked, when suddenly a sharp hiss caused Ezreal to jerk backwards in fear. A snake had slowly snuck through the walls, its forked tongue flitting in and out as it slithered out from the cracks in the walls.

"Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes." Ezreal groaned to himself, as he proceeded forward, his hands firmly stuck to his sides. As he descended further, the light from the desert began to dim. Night was coming. Ezreal looked around the hallways for anything that could illuminate the path ahead. The answer laid several steps forward, an old forgotten torch, unlit but still useable. Ezreal pulled a match from a small satchel he had, and set it to the torch. Within seconds, the torch roared brightly, and Ezreal continued on.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Gragas… Can I cut in?" Kenshi cut in.

"Ezr- eh? Oh yeah sure what's up?" Gragas stopped, looking upon the young man quizzically.

"This was… before the revolution right?"

"Oh yeah of course! Ezreal was exploring years before, when Shurima was still a wasteland. Emperor Azir and Nasus were just… myths before. Of course, we knew of the wasteland, but they helped explain what really happened all those years ago."

"I see. Sorry. Please continue."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The tomb grew strangely brighter as he ventured deeper into the tomb, as the markings seemed to depict the man undergoing a ritual of some sort. It showed him walking towards a large disc of some sort. It seemed that the sun was powering it, as its rays were shone through it. The man was depicted growing, to twice his original size. He also looked… like a cat.

Ezreal shook his head, thinking. "Those Shurimans had a strange way of portraying their ancestors."

Ezreal could sense that he was getting close to the tomb. A strange humming sound began to reverberate in Ezreals ears. It sounded otherworldly. Powerful in its tone, it drew Ezreal in like a moth to a flame. He began to jog, his curiosity feeding a burning sensation into his stomach. When he finally rounded the corner, he stopped dead in his tracks. The talisman, the one he'd seen in the tombs markings, lay adorned atop an intricate sarcophagus.

There was power contained within the Talisman, arcane magic, which was clear. Miniscule yellow bolts raced along the talisman, shimmering bright and causing the object to glow with a brilliant shine.

Ezreal edged slowly closer, and upon closer inspection he noticed that the talisman, was in fact a gauntlet, meant to be strapped to the wrist. It was massive, and it couldn't possibly fit to a humans wrist…. Could it?

The temptation was too great for Ezreal to resist, as he edged towards it, and lifted it. It was much lighter than it looked, and as he picked it up, the humming began to pick up at a much faster pace, before there was great crescendo of sound as the gauntlet flashed.

The sound Ezreal had been avoiding in the desert was heard again. It was louder, and it was very close. He was too busy studying the gauntlet, looking at its various intricacies. He strapped it on, feeling the gauntlet as its weight suddenly turned feather-light.

The tomb that Ezreal was in suddenly was showered in dust and dirt. A huge beast had broken its way into the tomb. Purple, scaled and wrought with a huge mouth, it screamed, before it charged directly to the explorer.

Involuntarily, Ezreals hands clenched and rose up in defense against the monster, ready to fight. As he swung up, a gleaming bolt of energy suddenly shot out from the gauntlet, blowing the creature back in pain.

"Holy crap!" Ezreal yelled, as he stared at the gauntlet. A shimmering blue bow dissipated from view, clearly the source of the bolt. The beast roared, before leaping towards Ezreal yet again, fangs bared with unbridled fury.

Ezreal clenched his fist again, hoping the same bolt would fire out. Like clockwork, the bolt shot out again, driving the beast back. The bow hissed with arcane magic, before dissapearing yet again.

The creature retreated, its screams heard as it went back into the hole it came from. Its screams faded, replaced by the sound of burrowing. Ezreal realized he couldn't stay here, but at the same time his mind made an unfortunate realization. Every single time he had made a noticeable sound, the creature had screeched. When the gauntlet made the noise, the creature had found him.

It was using echolocation to find him. Every move he made, every sound he caused, there was a chance the beast would find him. He wanted to swear, then realized that if he did _it_ would come right back.

His mind swirled in a torrent of thoughts. _All right. You've gotten out of worse spots that this. Well, not really. But it's no problem for you! So the monster tracks sound. There has to be a way to use it against him right? Some sort of switcheroo._

Ezreals eyes darted around the room, scanning for any trinkets of use. He settled on a large pot in the corner behind him. _That's… convenient._ He hefted the pot silently in his hands, letting the weight settle in his arms as he prepared to throw it. He bent his knees, silently inhaling as he prepared to launch his "Portable distraction device" straight into the far wall. How he was actually going to get out he had no idea.

Before he could however, a large purple pulse shot out from the creatures burrow. It slammed into the ceiling, dissipating and covering Ezreal in dust. The shock caused Ezreal to drop the pot, shattering it on the ground.

"Aw hell."

The _thing_ from below emerged from its tunnel, emitting an almighty screech as Ezreal leapt from his corner and fired another shot from his gauntlet, forcing the beast back down again.

It came back like a bat out of hell, bursting yet another hole through the ground, causing the tomb to shake unsteadily. Suddenly, the ceiling began to cave in, raining rocks down on the young adventurer and his predator. Several of them slammed into the monster, causing it to dive back into the tunnel, leaving Ezreal helpless. The entrance was caved in, and Ezreal desperately looked for an exit, or help. None would come.

The young explorer wouldn't give up, and roared in defiance. "I will not end up like this! I'm getting outta here!" He gave a great middle finger towards the heavens as the rest of ceiling dislodged…

And found himself outside of the tomb, kneeling in the sand, staring into the open sky. He touched his body in disbelief, and began to laugh.

"All skill… whew." He panted as the immense luck of his situation slowly caught up to him. He looked to his wrist, and saw his gauntlet pulsating brilliant sapphire.

 _You gotta be kidding me. The middle finger lets me teleport._

He got to his feet unsteadily, and laughed again. Unfortunately, Ezreals troubles were not over yet. The slow rumbling of the Earth signified that the monster from below was not just done with him yet. He began to take off at a run, praying that he could get far enough away that it would finally leave him alone.

His prayers weren't exactly answered. After several hours of running, and teleporting just when the beast was getting close, Ezreal was exhausted. His gauntlet had also faded with each teleport and mystic blast, and Ezreal could tell it was an indication of its power. When the gauntlet completely faded, it was game over.

The monster exploded from the sands, clawing at Ezreal who'd attempted to teleport once again. The gauntlet failed him as blood as splayed on the desert floor. Ezreal dropped to his knees, and then fell as five red gashes began to seep into the front of his clothes.

The beast slowed down as it approached Ezreal, who laid on the desert floor.

"You win." Ezreal uttered quietly, as it approached slowly, circling the adventurer like a predator toying with its prey.

It's jaws opened wide, rows of razor sharp teeth salivating in pleasure. The boy had made for an elusive, and annoying source of food, but now it was time to enjoy its meal. The ground rumbled yet again, as Ezreal closed his eyes, reserved to his fate.

He could practically feel the monsters breath as it inched closer and closer, ready to bite down. The rumbling had gotten louder, and the ground shook yet again. Ezreal thought, _probably bringing its buddies to come and eat me._ He winced, _so many places to explore, to be eaten by a stupid land-shark…thing._

Seconds passed, but they felt like Eons. The rumbling had gotten louder, and Ezreal could've sworn that the beast seemed to have… retreated? He opened his eyes, and saw the beast had retreated several feet away, screeching at something far beyond him, at the source of the rumbling.

It was a huge armadillo, rolling directly towards the monster. Its shell was adorned with spikes as it pierced a hole through the sand. The beast began to back away faster, but before it could burrow into its hole, the armadillo made contact, punching through the beast's thick hide, and drawing copious amounts of blood onto the desert floor.

The monster screeched in fear and agony, before it dove down into a tunnel, burrowing away until even the sound of the shifting sands faded away.

"You saved me…" Ezreals voice sunk to a whisper, as he addressed his unusual savior.

"Yeah." The armadillo replied. Ezreal was about to talk, but felt the last of his strength fade away as he passed out. Before he did, he was able to gather a last thought.

 _A giant talking armadillo just saved me. I'm most probably dreaming, or dead._

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Gragas. Was that Rammus?"

"Was that Rammus? Of course it was!"

"As in, the ascended god Rammus?"

" I don't know about ascended, but he's certainly got a regal feeling about him."

" What happened to Ezreal?"

" Well I was going to tell you until you interrupted."

"…. Sorry"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

" _No more trips for like… 3 days or something._ " Ezreal had said to himself as he finally saw his small home on the outskirts of Piltover. After he had woken up, he had tried to convince himself he had never started the expedition in the first place, until he saw the gauntlet, shimmering again in brilliance. On that note, he'd made his way home, at the same time attempting to recall and print down the images of the giant 'armordillo', and the 'monster' that he'd seen, not to mention the other sights. There was much more of Shurima to discover, but Ezreal had the makings of a map on his hands.

He was planning to take a well-deserved nap, but before he could lie down, there was a rapt knock on his door. With a sigh, he stood up to open the door, and for the umpteenth time in several days was nearly brought to his knees.

A blonde lady stood in front of him, her mouth agape in surprise. She looked his age, and was incredibly beautiful. What stood out most to him however, were her eyes. A brilliant sapphire, they seemed to twinkle, almost as if she knew a great secret that she could never tell anyone.

She grinned as Ezreal shoved his mouth back into place. "I wasn't expecting the explorer Ezreal to be so young."

Ezreal shook himself out of his daze and answered. "Well uhm. Ehem. Hi there. What. Uh. Hm. What do you wa-. No… who are you?"

Ezreal was no expert with women.

The girl smiled and extended a hand. "Luxanna Crownguard. I heard you just got back from Shurima? A bartender called Gragas mentioned that you were an explorer who 'Wouldn't shy away from anything'. "

Somehow, Ezreal managed to collect himself. " I actually got back around an hour ago. I still have my sketches if you'd like to see them."

"I'd love to."

She smiled, entered and closed the door.

(A/N : This was a long time coming, and I have no idea if it's any good, just wanted to put it out there y'know. )


	4. 3 Tale of the Dragonslayers

Tale of the Dragonslayers

Kenshi was brimming with excitement as he heard Ezreals adventures through Shurima. Gragas had told the story with great gusto, as a master storyteller should.

"So that's how him and Lux met?" Kenshi asked as Gragas took another sip from his tankard.

"Sort of. She was in Piltover to relax, get away from her responsibilities. I suspect that's quite hard to do now, considering where she is." Gragas smiled. "But then again, having Ezreal on her side must be quite comforting."

"She's some sort of master sorcerer right? In control of all the elements?" Kenshi continued to enquire.

"Well she likes light the most, but she's been making a couple trips over here to gain mastery over ice." Gragas answered patiently. "Speaking of ice, look who's decided to show up!"

The door had opened, bringing the bitter cold of the outside into the tavern, but the man who had come with it emanated warmth that could be felt all the way to Kenshi's fingertips. Shirtless, with blue streaks lining his chiseled body, he was enormous; towering over everybody in the room save Gragas. His biceps seemed to expand the more you looked at him. At his side was a shield, bearing the eyes of a ram. His most defined feature, however, was a great mustache, so large that Kenshi could hardly believe a man could grow that much hair anywhere, let alone his face.

The room had gone silent, its patrons slowly standing up, in awe of this man. It was clear that he was well known in this area. The giant looked around, his features lined with a frown, before he cracked a booming laugh, one that roused the entire tavern into giggles.

"I hear one can get excellent milk here!" The giant laughed.

"Braum, you dope, welcome back!" Gragas said as he struggled to get through the countertop.

With an almighty heave, he shoved his body through, clapping Braum on the back. "How did it go my friend?"

"The dragon was not an easy foe to vanquish, and I could not have done it without help." Braum replied, his face turning solemn.

Gragas turned back to the bar, and filled a large glass of mead for him. "I'm sure the town must have been grateful for your help."

Braum accepted the glass with a nod of thanks, downing it in a single gulp. "It was an exciting day."

Kenshi had been frozen to his seat during the entire exchange, his mouth agape. He coughed, shook his head, before he closed his mouth, and gently tapped Braum on the shoulder.

"Er… sir, are you the real Braum?"

Braum turned, looking around for who had tapped him, before looking down at the young man who flinched as he gave Kenshi his full attention.

He grinned. "Well. Yes, yes I am! Unless you have seen other men like me running about. If you do, please let me know."

Kenshi's fear dissipated, giving way to curiosity. He began to enquire about Braum. Gragas simply smiled and half-listened to the impromptu interview, serving patrons as he did so

"You can cut trees with your bare hands!" Kenshi exclaimed.

"They are little bitty trees." Braum shrugged.

"You've saved entire villages from bandits!"

"It is my duty, and my privilege to help people."

"How long have you been alive? I've seen tales of you that stretch back to…"

Kenshi trailed off as Braum leaned close to the young man.

He shook his head, and smiled. " You are an inquisitive young man. Perhaps you will understand. Do you see the people around you?"

Kenshi looked around at the patrons, as well as Gragas as they happily mingled about the tavern.

"Yeah, what about them?"

"I am different from them, no?"

"Yeah, you're huge! It's hard to believe you're a man." Kenshi exclaimed.

He looked at Braum, who's eyes twinkled, and he smiled at Kenshi.

"It is… indeed hard to believe."

Kenshi looked at Braum, thunderstruck.

Braum replied. "You understand now child, why I have these gifts." He patted the young man on his head, causing Kenshi to sink into his stool.

Braum continued. " I have spent my entire life trying to help people. When they asked me if I wanted the power to help thousands, instead of one, I jumped at the chance. Of course, such gifts come at great cost. When they fell, I seized my chance at freedom, and escaped to the wilds of the Freljord. I avoided the Great War, instead choosing to help those suffering from it. I pleaded for them to stop, but all I could do was watch as my brethren, my race, my family dwindled slowly into extinction. I have spent all my time after, hoping that I could make them proud."

He stopped short and laughed. "Enough of the rambling! Come, what stories would you like to hear."

Gragas stopped, and yelled at Braum. "Tell us about the dragon!"

The tavern whooped and roared, ready to hear a grand tale. Amidst the cheers of the tavern, Braum raised his hand, and they silenced. He looked to Kenshi and winked, who gave a sheepish smile as Braum sat on the countertop.

"This epic is not one for the faint-hearted!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Braum had reached the Freljordian town of Skellige after three days of trekking. Skellige was on the border between Mount Targon and the Freljord, its incredible height causing fog and snow all year round. A dragon of unthinkable proportions had laid siege to the town. The peaceful villagers had no protection against bandits, let alone a dragon, and so from the moment Braum caught wind of Skellige's predicament, he had set off immediately.

The town already showed great signs of destruction. Several homes had been charred black. Some houses were nothing but black husks. Ash had coated the town in an ominous black fog. Braum quietly knelt down, using his finger to draw some ash from the ground.

 _Ash is cold. Smell is fading. This is a couple days old._

The houses that remained intact seemed empty. In fact, there seemed to be no sign of life anywhere.

Braum called out. "HELLO!"

The only answer he got was the howling of the wind.

He continued investigating as he approached an intact house. He gently opened the door, before peering inside.

 _All their belongings are still here. They must have left in a hurry._

He turned outside, and caught a faint trail of footsteps. As he followed them, he noticed the tracks weren't of one person, or even of a family. It seemed nearly the entire village had walked this specific trail at one point.

He followed warily, keeping his shield at the ready. The tracks led him to a cave. He looked into its depths, before venturing in. The darkness engulfed Braum quickly, but Braum gently rapped his shield. The ram's head on the front glowed, and its eyes shined and pierced through the darkness. Braum advanced slowly but steadily down the cave, listening for any sign of human life.

It was the voices that first alerted Braum. Quiet, but spoken with urgency. Braum slowed, afraid of frightening those who were inside.

"I thought I heard something! Maybe we should go!"

"Probably just an animal. Relax Geralt, I'm sure there's nothing much to fear."

"Nothing to fear? Jorgen, there is a reason we're in this cave!"

"Well. Other than the dragon."

Braum rounded the corner, and saw the source of the voices. It was two middle-aged men, one skinny, one rotund stoking a small fire. They jumped when they saw him, and made to run.

"Wait! Friends, I am Braum, and here to help!" Braum called out.

They stopped in their tracks. "Did he say Braum? The legendary Braum?"

Jorgen turned. " You are the real Braum?"

" I am."

Geralt and Jorgen looked at each other. "He certainly is the size. Perhaps he is who he says he is."

" If you truly are Braum, we are honored by your presence. But we are not the ones to ask for your help. You'll have to talk to the elder."

"Lead me to him." Braum nodded.

The village elder was not a man, but a woman. She was old and weathered, but while her eyes carried the pain of seventy winters, there was defiance in them. She was a tough one.

When she saw Braum, she smiled. "I knew he would come. One day, he would come save us all. Welcome, heart of the Freljord."

Braum bowed to her. "My lady. Your village is in need of assistance?"

"Yes. The dragon came several days ago. Killed several families. I gathered the survivors, and herded them to this cave. We've been living ever since. Jorgen and Geralt bravely volunteered to guard the caves entrance."

It was then Braum looked around him. There were multiple families, some with children living in the cave. They looked starving.

"What is the situation in the caves?"

"We are running out of food. The dragon prowls, waiting for one of us to venture from the cave, the last one to do so… never made it back."

Braum saw a family of three, the mother holding a baby in her arms. He reached into his pockets, and pulled out some biscuits.

"Stay strong my friends."

"Thank you, Braum." The father uttered. Braum smiled.

"It seems there is no choice my lady. Taking it out seems the only option. Describe the dragon for me please."

"It is large. I'm sorry for such… a simple description, but there is no way to describe it. It's red, with skeletal wings. Its chest is lined with yellow magma, and it breathes fire from its mouth."

"I see. It's an adult male fire dragon, and I believe the beast marked your territory. But don't worry. You are safe with me."

Braum had realized something quite unfortunate.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Err… Mr. Braum?" Kenshi cut in.

The crowd looked to the young man as he asked the heart of the Freljord a question.

"When did you become so good at… analyzing and detecting things?" Kenshi enquired.

"Experience. Not the first dragon I killed, and not the last. There was a time when I and several others… I think that is for another time. Onwards with the story!"

XXXXXXXXXX

The dragon was killing anybody who ventured out. Braum realized that the dragon had not killed him on the way into the cave because it was simply waiting. Waiting for the food to run out, and for all the people in the cave to starve. Then, it would simply feast.

He had to plan on how to deal with it. His shield could protect against dragon-fire, but his offensive capabilities were quite substandard. He was strong, but there was no way he could take a dragon down with winters bite. But time was of the essence. Any longer he delayed, the people in the cave were going to starve to death.

He ventured out of the cave warily. He looked up ahead, and saw a spot in the sky. It grew bigger, and as it got closer it let out a monstrous stream. The dragon of Skellige was coming. Braum readied his shield, and climbed up a destroyed house. The first fireball rained down onto Braum, who raised his shield. The true ice served to neutralize the fireball, but the impact of it knocked Braum down several floors. He shook off the blow, and launched a chilling burst of ice at the dragon with his shield.

The dragon took the blow in its chest, and it veered slightly off course, before it finally landed on the ground. Face to face, the dragon was a truly gargantuan beast. Braum barely had time to raise his shield to his left as the dragon whipped its tail at him. It knocked him off his feet, sending him careening several feet to the right.

He got up, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead. The dragon could tell that this human was not easy prey, as it continued to swipe at Braum. He ducked under, dodged left and right as the Dragon suddenly lunged forward, pinning Braum under its talons.

As Braum struggled to wrest himself free, he saw a speck up in the air. _Another dragon?_ It was falling much to fast to be one, and as Braum was able to pull himself free he saw that it wasn't a dragon, but a man, falling from the sky.

The dragon turned to see the new threat as it rocketed down from the sky. With a roar, the man slammed right onto the dragon, the force of the impact sending rubble flying everywhere. Braum immediately rushed over to see what had happened.

The man was nearly Braums height, with a red Chestplate and battleskirt. His helmet shrouded his entire face in shadow save two bloodshot eyes. The large spear and shield he held had dried blood on it. This man clearly was a fighter.

The dragon rose, shaking off both men with a breath of dragon fire. Braum found himself next to the man.

"Friend, who are you?"

The man spoke with a reverberation that led Braum to realize that he was not _exactly_ human.

"I am Pantheon. This beast lies too close to Targon, it must be stopped."

"Let's do it!" Braum roared in approval, as they both charged the dragon. Braum was able to take the brunt of the Dragons damage with his massive shield; as such he stood near the front of the dragon, drawing its attention with fierce blows with his shield. Pantheon stood near the sides, letting his spear run wild amongst the dragon's unprotected middle, piercing the magma within its chest.

The dragon again flew up in the air, letting a stream of fire run from its mouth towards Pantheon. Braum leapt to him and lifted his shield, letting the fire hiss harmlessly against his shield.

The beast landed; smoke trailing from its nostrils as it stared down the two heroes. It pounced, its jaw stretching forward in a vicious bite that could have taken Pantheons head off had he not dodged away. It swung a claw at Braum, who was knocked back and badly scratched by the talons of the dragon. Pantheon attempted a blow with his spear but was yet forced back by the dragon's breath.

Braum fired another blast of ice at the dragon's side, causing one of its hind legs to freeze. The dragon turned to face him, exposing the icy part of its leg to Pantheon, who quickly launched a spear right into it. The ice shattered, piercing the tough hide, and exposing the magma within. It turned, and began to launch a fireball at Pantheon, who leapt out of the way. No sooner had he dodged out of the way had the beast launched another burst of fire. Pantheon was unable to completely escape, and was blasted several feet away. He stayed on his feet however, and with a nod to Braum they continued fighting.

Braum used his shield as a battering ram, charging forward and slamming into the dragons weakened hind leg. While it was certainly a behemoth, Braum was no slouch when it came to the strength department, and the dragon winced backwards in pain, giving Pantheon an opening to attack.

He tossed another spear directly into the dragon's chest, piercing and causing white-hot magma to spurt out of the monster. The dragon screeched again, and appeared to focus. The magma in its chest began to bubble, and it fired lava at Braum in a long continuous stream. Even Braum's shield was unable to withstand the onslaught as it exploded on his shield. While the shield was fine, Braum was on the floor, scorched.

Pantheon bellowed in defiance as he charged the dragon using his spear to pierce multiple holes in the dragon's body. Braum struggled to stand as he saw the mighty warrior face the dragon without fear. The dragon began to fire another powerful stream of lava at pantheon when Braum leapt to the rescue, his shield up and holding the fire back.

Pantheon focused, before throwing his spear into the dragon's mouth. The enchanted weapon was unaffected by the lava and punched itself right into the beast. No sooner had the dragon felt the blow, another spear had appeared in Pantheons hands. The dragon slumped to the ground, bleeding profusely from many wounds in its body.

"It is weakened! Take it down now!"

Pantheon leapt from his position high up in the air, landing yet again on the dragon, staggering it as he pierced its hide again and again with his spear. Braum fired several blasts of ice at the dragon, before he moved to attack as well.

With a screech, the dragon swiped hard at Pantheon, knocking the warrior back and slamming him against a wall. It sped quickly towards him, its jaw opened and ready for the kill. Braum saw this happening, and quickly lifted his shield up in the air, before sending it back into the ground with a great deal of force. Suddenly, the ground ahead of him soared upwards; creating a wall that prevented the dragon's assault.

Enraged, the dragon turned towards Braum, letting loose a torrent of blows with its claws as well as its dragon fire. His shield at the ready, he blocked each of them in turn, getting forced back.

Suddenly, the pressure stopped, and the dragon slumped to the ground. On top of it was Pantheon, withdrawing his spear from the dragon's now prone body.

Pantheon roared an almighty battlecry, before he turned to Braum.

"A good fight. One to be remembered!" the warrior yelled as he clasped Braums large hand. He nodded, before he turned and walked away. Several seconds later, there was a large boom, and Pantheon rocketed into the sky, and out of sight.

The villagers never saw the Rakkor warrior for themselves, but Braum made sure that they knew who had helped save Skellige from the dragon. Braum knew there were more towns to save, but for now, perhaps he would pay a visit to a small tavern.

XXXXXXXXX

The crowd had begun to chant Braum's name as he smiled and waved his hand in appreciation. Kenshi sat awestruck as Gragas simply smiled.

"Was it good enough tale for you Kenshi?" Braum grinned and clapped the young man on the back.

Kenshi was only able to utter a short sentence. "The thing on your shield?"

Braum looked down to his shield. A dragon's head was mounted on the front, its mouth open, yellowish magma inside.

He smiled.


End file.
